A former New York Jets draft bust is back in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons.
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz revealed on Saturday, August 29, that the Dallas Cowboys are releasing wide receiver Denzel Mims.
Mims, 28, first entered the league as the No. 59 overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft. He spent the first three seasons of his career with the Jets.
The former Baylor product appeared in 30 games and made 15 starts. With those opportunities, Mims was targeted 92 times; he caught 42 receptions for 676 receiving yards, but never scored a touchdown.
In July of 2023, the Jets shipped off Mims to the Detroit Lions. Since that summer, Mims has spent time on four NFL teams. He also had stints in the UFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks and the Dallas Renegades, respectively.
Another Former Jets Wide Receiver Hits the Market
Mims wasn’t the only former Jets pass catcher to hit the market over the weekend.
The Buffalo Bills announced on social media that they have released 13 players ahead of the cutdown deadline on Sunday, August 30.
One of those 13 players is three-time Super Bowl champion Mecole Hardman Jr.
Hardman had a very short but eventful tenure with the green and white. The 28-year-old signed with the Jets as a free agent during the 2023 offseason.
Hardman figured to be a key piece to the Jets’ offensive puzzle, but he was anything but. The former Georgia product appeared in five games, but didn’t make a start. He was targeted three times, caught one reception for six receiving yards, but didn’t score a touchdown.
Ahead of the trade deadline in 2023, the Jets slapped a return-to-sender tag on Hardman, trading him back to the Kansas City Chiefs. Fast forward to the Super Bowl, Hardman had the game-winning touchdown reception that same season.
That is crazy enough, but it doesn’t end there. Hardman later revealed on “The Pivot” podcast that while still a member of the Jets, he asked the Chiefs to come get him. That raised tampering questions because he would eventually be traded to Kansas City.
Hardman was also accused by multiple Jets teammates of “leaking game plans to two opponents”, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Jets Part Ways With a Young Defender
The Jets continue to trim their roster from 91 players to an initial 53 before the deadline.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini noted that the team has “waived” safety Dean Clark. “[He] appeared in 12 games last season as a rookie (180 defensive snaps),” Cimini added.
Clark is subject to waivers. That means the other 31 NFL teams in the league will have a chance to claim him. If he is claimed, Clark will immediately join that team’s 53-man roster. However, if he clears waivers, the Jets could be interested in bringing him back on their practice squad.
The safety position is an area of weakness for the Jets ahead of the 2026 season.
Cowboys Cut Ex-Jets Draft Bust After Preseason Game